A panel has been set up by the management of the Taraba State University to investigate allegations of payment to officials of the Department of Economics by some post-graduate students for examination results manipulation.

FIJ had reported that post graduate students were advanced in their programmes despite the non-release of their results since the end of 2018 when coursework ended.  

Chaired by Nicholas Namessan, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), the panel summoned Dr Yahaya Salihu Emeje and Prof. Nathaniel Eriemo who had been heads of department, and Dr. Idris Miftahu, the incumbent Head of Department.

The allegation emerged following FIJ’s report which revealed how two class representatives, Hosea Rimmande and Dr Grace Akor, were allegedly used by officials of the Department to illegally supervise and collect millions of naira for the ‘entertainment’ of internal and external examiners for theses presentation.

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Prof. Eriemo was removed as HOD after the report. Rimmande, who threatened FIJ after he was asked for comment, was forced by his classmates to resign.

“There is another dimension to the issue as a student alleged that the results of some students who must have bribed their way were manipulated,” a source in the school with knowledge of the issue told FIJ.

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“The panel is to look into same cases in other departments offering post graduate programmes. If they get to Faculty of Education, it would be the worst.”

Professor Peter Oronto, Dean of School of Post Graduate Studies, had said that results were not ready. However, he could not tell FIJ why results were not ready for the past three years.

Sanusi Sa’ad, the director of information of the University, said that the matter had not been brought to him for dissemination.

Miftahu said he was busy when he was contacted by FIJ. He did not reply text message despite instructing that one should be sent to him.